Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: First Sip from the Same Cup
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Actually, it was still the middle of the night—before even a full day had passed—when Rike opened her eyes and first regretted her actions.
After wrapping up her brief fantasy involving the Dreitna sisters, Rike wriggled lazily into his arms. Roman, who had been dozing lightly, opened his eyes.
"Rike, you're awake?"
"...Hng."
Under the covers, they shared warmth through their skin, basking in a pleasant silence.
Rike used his forearm as a pillow, breathing softly in time with her small frame.
"It's still night, so you can sleep more."
"...Aren't you gonna drink?"
Waking up from sleep craving alcohol—what a drunkard thing to say, but coming from Rike, it felt perfectly timed and adorable.
"You want some?"
"I've never tried it before... I want my first drink to be with you, even if it's just a little."
She wasn't the only one who saw their first drinking session as something special.
As long as they drank in moderation, it wouldn't interfere with heading to the academy tomorrow.
"Let's get dressed first. You might catch a cold."
"Dress me, oppa..."
Anticipating moments like this, clothes and a blanket were always draped over the chair beside the bed.
He snatched the shirt and blanket with one hand and dressed the squirming Rike under the covers.
With their size difference, his shirt became a dress on her.
Wrapping the blanket around her waist like a kimbap roll completed her outfit for stepping out of bed.
Carrying the limp, warmth-sated Rike, he headed to the living room.
He set her down so her feet touched the floor, but she wouldn't unwrap her arms from his neck.
"I wanna sit on top of you..."
He had pictured them facing each other, exchanging sips from their glasses.
But Rike plopped her bottom right on his thigh, showing no intention of sitting across from him.
Fine by him—he wrapped his hand around her waist so she could lean back comfortably.
The cooler air in the living room, unlike the bedroom, seemed to sharpen her gaze.
"What kind of alcohol is this?"
Rike eyed the suspicious bottle on the table—label-less, colorless.
"Galm liquor? Something like that... Look closely. Hold it up to the light like this?"
"Oh—!"
Rike reacted with fresh wonder to the green glow it emitted, absorbing the lamplight.
When he added that it was made by elves, her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"It's my first time trying it too. The way to drink it is like eating a strong bittersweet chocolate and chasing it with a sip? Elves pair it with unripe fruit, but I have no idea what kind would work."
"Hm~"
As he explained the info from Doran and opened the box, rows of chocolates came into view.
There were plenty—enough that they wouldn't run out tonight.
Clink, clink, clink—
Two people, but only one glass brought along.
He poured until it was half full.
"Just in case, I'll try it first."
Whiskey? Vodka-like distillate? He still couldn't tell.
Lifting the glass and inhaling deeply yielded no scent at all.
Slurp—
He took a sip, swirled it like mouthwash, and let it slide down his throat.
'...Pretty high proof, huh?'
Straight down, it burned a vivid path along his esophagus.
The taste itself wasn't remarkable.
Like cheap grain-based distilled spirits.
Too harsh to enjoy on its own, even knowing the proof was high.
But paired with chocolate? That piqued his curiosity.
He calmed Rike's expectant gaze and pulled out a chocolate.
"Say ahh."
"Ahh~"
He took out one chocolate, ate half, and fed the rest to Rike.
She nodded eagerly, clearly delighted, swinging her dangling legs back and forth on his thigh.
Crunch—
Candy or chocolate—he wasn't one for savoring slowly.
He shattered it with his molars into dozens of pieces, toyed with them in his mouth, and swallowed.
'Oh—nice.'
Was this why people shelled out big money for sugar lumps?
A superb flavor proving that bitterness could outshine sweetness.
Grateful for Seria's recommendation, he lifted the glass again and took another sip.
Gulp—
The alcohol washed over the lingering heavy bitterness and faint sweetness in his mouth.
"...This is good."
"Tasty?"
Straight up, it resembled the baijiu from his past life, but clashing with the chocolate's bitterness, it blended with the subtle sweetness into something intriguing.
The hidden nuttiness and subtle sweetness emerged properly.
A fantastical taste that truly made him feel the wonder he'd missed while adapting to this world.
"Wanna try?"
"Mm—."
But when Rike actually held the glass, she hesitated to bring it to her lips.
"Worried it might taste bad? If it's no good, just spit it out."
"No, it's not that... What if I get drunk and say something weird to you...?"
She looked deadly serious, face stiff with worry, but he just burst out laughing.
Spotting his irrepressible grin, Rike pawed at his chest like a cat batting playfully.
"...Why are you laughing!!"
"'Cause you're cute~ I'm laughing because you're cute. If that's your worry, want me to teach you how to push out the alcohol with mana first?"
Not that using it defeated the purpose of drinking, but it couldn't hurt to know.
Anyone who could properly reinforce their body with mana could do it.
Rike's body could even produce aura.
No doubt about her mana control.
"When you're drunk and circulate mana through your body, your senses feel dulled or it doesn't flow right in spots. Focus mana there and smooth it out—that solves it!"
"...Got it."
"Don't worry too much. Even if you get wasted, who'd care?"
"Ah~"
As she parted her lips decisively, he fed her another chocolate.
Crunch—
Rike chomped hers heartily and took a tiny sip of alcohol.
As it went down, the high proof's fiery kick made her scrunch her eyes.
"The alcohol stings...? Or not?"
"Probably the high proof. Next time, shall I get some sweet wine?"
High-sugar wines had a low barrier for women, especially—should be safe.
"Hm—?"
Rike relaxed her expression, smacked her lips savoring it, grabbed another chocolate, ate half, and pushed the rest into his mouth.
Taking another sip, she soon smiled, eyes curving happily.
"This... I kinda get why people drink now. This is nice! I'm curious about wine with you too, but..."
"Glad you like it. Next time, I'll grab something easier to drink."
As she reached for the glass again, he caught her hand and placed it on his forearm.
"Huh?"
"No buzz yet doesn't mean chug it... It'll hit you all at once."
With academy in the morning, getting smashed wasn't on tonight's menu.
Blackout drunk could wait.
Judging by her uncontrolled pace, he left less than half a glass and sealed the bottle.
"Aww... Then gimme something else to drink."
Rike abandoned the glass and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Her mouth held the faint sweetness and bitterness of chocolate.
She sucked on his tongue like candy, no doubt sharing the sensation.
It wasn't the two sips that got her tipsy.
They were always like this—kissing didn't always lead to more.
Showing affection was enough.
After light intimacy, they'd sink into the quiet of the house and chat about nothing important.
"Oh, right. I ran into Seria today when I went to buy these chocolates."
"You and Seria?"
How flustered she'd been seeing him show up alone.
Rike laughed till tears welled up hearing the desperate saga of acquiring the chocolates.
Just sitting with a loved one, breathing together—wasn't that bliss?
Even when stories ran dry and silence fell, it felt enjoyable, never awkward.
Slowly draining the remnants of the glass.
Sharing the fruit bought to snack on, playing childish pranks, chatting away the time.
At one point, he even dozed off briefly, pinned under Rike on the sofa.
Nights like this always ushered in morning swiftly.
"Shall we head out?"
"Let's go~"
As the sun rose, he took the warmly dressed Rike's hand and headed to their usual bakery.
"Hm..."
An hour when ordinary folk couldn't see a foot ahead without light.
Eclair sat in the dark study—not her bedroom—calmly sorting through her overflowing emotions.
On one side of the table sat uncleared forks and dishes.
Traces of sharing dessert in the study after dinner with Chloe, chatting idly.
If asked whether their sisterly talk had depth, it wasn't profound given the time—but there had been clear progress in their relationship, she was sure.
(—Think of it as a gift for a friend whose things are finally going well. Or give it to your sister.)
'She said it was fine to give to my sister, but...'
His words sounded too convenient from her perspective.
Was it another of those adventurer-style jokes only she missed?
To her, it was everything; to Roman, Chloe was just another person.
Give it as a gift and pass it on? No matter how she turned it over, it felt off.
The black rose brooch he'd given her spun idly on her fingertip.
Leaving aside explaining its origins to Chloe... He'd said it was okay to give away, but was it really?
A polite offer—if she took it literally, wouldn't he find her strange?
She alone knew Chloe truly needed this item.
She agonized.
After agonizing long enough that Roman would've collapsed from frustration watching, Eclair finally decided.
'It's not official business, but if it's as a friend... I can visit... right?'
She knew sitting here fretting wouldn't yield answers.
Asking him directly would give a clear response.
Using this subtle progress unknown to her as a foothold, she checked her schedule for when she could snag a day off.